Our favourite places to stay in the North

Featured on George Clark’s Amazing Spaces, a waterfall flows right underneath Falling Water at Ponden Mill in Yorkshire. If you like falling asleep to a relaxing nature soundtrack you’ve got the real deal here — just close your eyes and listen to the water gently ripple past. The colourful stained glass doors and wrap-around windows let the light flood in and connect you to the surrounding woodland. Turn off your devices, step outside, inhale deeply and you’re instantly forest bathing. Some of Yorkshire’s best attractions are on the doorstep including the Pennine Way, bohemian Hebden Bridge and Haworth. This is Bronte country with Wuthering Heights itself (Top Withens) on the hill facing the mill and the Bronte waterfall even closer. Continuing the cultural theme, The Railway Children film used the owner's steam train and many local sites for filming.

A quirky cabin in the rewilded grounds of Crowdy Farm, Raffer Yem is built from reclaimed materials including a boat porthole and automotive lights that cast a cosy glow over the copper, blue and cream interior. It’s an off-grid, low impact space that reflects the sustainable ethos of the site – 200 acres of land that have been in the same family for over 100 years and are left purposefully wild and un-landscaped. Reconnecting with nature is easy when there’s no wifi, just the person you came with, a warm hot tub and endless hiking routes from the front door. The Durham Heritage coastline is close by for wild walks and even wilder swims and Durham itself is well worth a visit to see the magnificent cathedral and spot some of the famous locations from the Harry Potter films.

You’ll feel very private here, especially in the woodfired tin tub, wide enough for both of you and guarded by a thoughtful Buddha. Inside has everything you need – a two-ring electric hob, proper fridge and freezer, wood-burner for chilly evenings and a very comfortable bed. Local milk and fresh homemade biscuits will be waiting for you, but you can have ample breakfast ingredients from the local farm shop delivered, and fresh fruit and vegetables from the owners’ walled garden in season. For outdoor cooking there is a gas barbecue – lovely to sit around, enfolded by forest, while your supper sizzles – perhaps with some local ale or a glass of wine. An outdoor hot shower is a great way to start the day whatever the weather, with birdsong all around you and the canopy of green above. In the evening, enjoy sunsets over the fauna and flora water hole. You should sleep peacefully in this magical spot.

Built around two oaks, Cran Darach Treehouse in North Yorkshire feels like your very own luxurious treehouse spa. Not content with merely providing an outdoor bathtub and hot tub for four, there’s also a sauna and al-fresco rainfall shower while BOSE speakers provide mellow background music inside and out. When you’re not lounging on the blue velvet sofas or enjoying long lie ins in the king size beds, there’s a large lawn area for your exclusive use with sports equipment provided including croquet, badminton, football, boules and Kubb, a Swedish throwing game. Dinner time is a delight with a conventional hob, BBQ or firepit to choose from depending on how rustic you want to go. If you can tear yourself away from all the leafy luxury, The Yorkshire Dales National Park and North York Moors are within easy reach.

With its grassy haircut blending into the spectacular Yorkshire Dales National Park, Bowber Head Roundhouse is somewhere to unplug and travel back to a simpler time. The owners have built the unusual space using original techniques, handmade furniture and wooden crockery for that authentic iron-age feel so it’s easy to switch off for a few days. There’s a solar powered shower, gas hob and clay chiminea for al fresco cooking, or you can just head to the Fat Lamb for some hearty local fare. There are beautiful walks straight out onto Ash fell, Wildboar Fell and the Howgill Fells, you can fish at Bessy Beck trout farm or bring your binoculars and do some birdwatching. Owner Anthony also has a vintage bus garage on the site and can drive you in retro style from the farm to Kendal, Penrith and Barnard Castle for a day out.

Raven might be a homage to the many castles of Northumberland’s historically embattled lands, but you can forget any notion of harsh frontier life. The four-storey watchtower in the woods hides stunning design behind its battlements, inviting you to desert your post and relax completely. Lounge in the massive armchairs by the log fire with some classic tracks on the record player, pour yourself a whisky and watch deer pick their way through birch and pine. View the Milky Way in Gold tier Dark Skies from your private battlement or whilst bathing in the huge handcrafted wooden bathtub. Sink into the comfort of a 6000-spring mattress with crisp linen sheets and listen to the sound of silence punctuated by a few neighbouring owls.

Oozing northern soul, Double-Deckerdence in Lincolnshire is an epic experience – so popular with our guests that you’ll need to book now for next year. It's worth the wait to stay in two beautifully converted buses that are combined on the top deck to form a huge open-plan living space. There’s even an outdoor seating area and a hot tub with phenomenal views on the second floor, not to mention the kids’ (and dogs’) accommodation on one side of the bus with a climbing wall, tunnel and circus ball game. Adults get the master suite with a king sized bed and roll-top bathtub, conveniently near the bar area. If you want to venture away from the rolling green hills where the bus is parked permanently (and we’re not sure why you would), the beautiful landscape of the Lincolnshire Wolds is within easy reach.